Did You Get Your Flu Shot Yet?

As of early November, only about 2 out of 5 people in the U. S. reported having gotten this season’s flu vaccine,

“We are glad to see that people are making the decision to protect themselves and their families from flu, but coverage is still low and we urge people to get vaccinated if they haven’t yet,” said Nancy Messonnier, M.D., director of CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. “We have a tool that is proven to prevent flu illness and hospitalization but millions of people are not taking advantage of it. Too many people are unprotected.”

Children, Pregnant Woman and the Elderly

Forty percent of people overall reported having received a flu vaccine, including 37 percent of children ages 6 months to 17 years and 41 percent of adults ages 18 years and older.

Although flu vaccination estimates among adults and children are similar to early estimates from last season for all age groups, CDC is looking carefully at vaccination rates for children and for adults ages 50 years and older.

“We are urging parents to make sure their children get a flu shot this season, as the nasal-spray vaccine is not recommended for the 2016-2017 flu season. An annual flu vaccine is very important protection for children,” said Joe Bresee, M.D., a pediatrician and chief of the Epidemiology and Prevention Branch of CDC’s Influenza Division.

Health Care Workers Need Flu Vaccine

While early estimates show vaccination among pregnant women (47 percent) is six percentage points higher than early estimates last season, more than half of pregnant women remain unvaccinated.

Vaccination among health care providers (69 percent) is about the same as it was at this time last season.

Last season, coverage among health care personnel working in long-term care facilities increased five percentage points (to 69 percent), but was still the lowest among all health care provider groups. The early coverage estimate for those providers this season (55 percent) is still the lowest among all health care providers.

“It is really important that health care workers get vaccinated and especially important that we continue to make progress vaccinating health care workers who work in long-term care facilities. Many of the most frail and vulnerable people live in these facilities and we know that vaccinating their caregivers helps protect them,” said Messonnier.

It is a real pleasure to contribute a regular article to Families Online Magazine. Over the past 30 years, I've had the privilege of providing care to over 10,000 women. I've helped them face their challenges, answered their questions, and heard the frustrations they deal with as they transition from their reproductive years to and through menopause.

As a result, my goal is to share the wisdom I've gained that applies directly to women's health and menopause, or provide insights that can be of help with their families. Some articles will be on things that are ongoing health and wellness topics, and others will be comments or perspectives on important issues you notice in the news.

You will find my two most recent books helpful. They are Eat to Defeat Menopause and Save Your Life: What to do in a Medical Emergency.

https://www.familiesonlinemagazine.com/get-flu-shot-yet/https://imgsub.familiesonlinemagazine.com/uploads/2015/01/kid-doc2.jpghttps://imgsub.familiesonlinemagazine.com/uploads/2015/01/kid-doc2-150x150.jpg2018-08-19T18:25:06+00:00Dr. Machelle SeibelYou & Your Family’s Health50+ Anti-Aging Tips and Tricks,Ages and Stages,Health,PregnancyAs of early November, only about 2 out of 5 people in the U. S. reported having gotten this season's flu vaccine,'We are glad to see that people are making the decision to protect themselves and their families from flu, but coverage is still low and we urge people to get...Dr. Machelle SeibelMachelleSeibel, MD[email protected]Author
It is a real pleasure to contribute a regular article to Families Online Magazine. Over the past 30 years, I've had the privilege of providing care to over 10,000 women. I've helped them face their challenges, answered their questions, and heard the frustrations they deal with as they transition from their reproductive years to and through menopause.
As a result, my goal is to share the wisdom I've gained that applies directly to women's health and menopause, or provide insights that can be of help with their families. Some articles will be on things that are ongoing health and wellness topics, and others will be comments or perspectives on important issues you notice in the news.
You will find my two most recent books helpful. They are Eat to Defeat Menopause and Save Your Life: What to do in a Medical Emergency.
My websites are https://www.doctorseibel.com/ & https://www.healthrockwomen.com/. There are many FREE downloads, songs, videos, eBooks and other useful content that I hope will help you stay well. My comments here aren't intended to take the place of your healthcare provider. If you have a medical problem, be sure to ask your doctor.Families Online Magazine